Reunite
by ObscureUsername
Summary: Aqua always hoped to see someone she knew again, but she didn't expect him. Will this break in the monotomy of everyone's lives be for the better? Or will this change the destiny of the worlds for the worse? XemAqua, TerAqua. T for violence
1. Chapter 1

AN: Hey, DogLuthor here. First upload, but certainly not my first fanfic. Rated T for intense violence in later chapters. R&R appreciated. Dont own these characters.

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Chapter 1

Aqua laid down against the dark ground, the moonlight reflecting against it. She sighed and closed her eyes, no doubt to another sleepless night.

It had been a while when Aqua opened her eyes again, only at a strange sound this time. She sat up as a Dark Corridor opened up in front of her. Out stepped a silver-haired man, clad in a black robe. His face was all too familiar.

Aqua gasped. "Terra?"

The man turned to face her. "Aqua?" He stopped and made a confused expression.

"Terra!" Aqua leaped to her feet.

The man looked confused. "I feel like I've met you before...but I've never seen you in my life."

Aqua stopped. "Of course you do, silly. We're friends."

"I don't know you," the silvernette said. "Why do I know your name?"

It was Aqua's turn to look confused. "You're Terra...you have to be. Why else would you look so much like him?"

"I don't know, Aqua," he said.

Aqua approached him and unzipped the top of his jacket. "You're wearing your outfit," she said.

The man quickly zipped it up. "Those can't be his clothes. I'm telling you, I'm not Terra."

Aqua shook her head. "How could you forget? We were Keyblade warriors together."

"I never had a Keyblade," the silvernette said flatly.

Aqua sighed, and somehow summoned her own Keyblade. "Summon yours, Terra."

The man shook his head, but tried anyway. The Gaia Bane appeared in his hand. He gasped, then looked over it. "It's so familiar," he said. "Where have I seen it before?"

Aqua sighed. "It's your Keyblade, Gaia Bane. You fought the Unversed with it."

The man raised an eyebrow. "Unversed?"

Aqua felt like smacking the possibly-may-be-Terra upside the head. "Quit it, Terra. You're not fooling me," she said roughly, even though it was everything she could do to keep from crying.

The man sighed. "Terra... I'm not him."

Aqua felt hot tears run down her cheeks. "I've walked so far...I was going to...I forgot what I was gonna say!" She hit the ground on her knees and allowed herself to fall face forward to the ground, then sobbed her eyes out. The first friend she sees in however long, and he can't even remember her.

She heard fabric shifting and felt a warm hand rub her back. "Don't cry, Aqua. Don't cry in front of me. A Keyblade Master shouldn't cry like that."

Aqua stopped crying and turned to look at the man. "You know that I'm a Keyblade Master?" she asked in the tone of someone who had just cried for a long time.

The man smiled weakly. "I... know who you are, but I don't know why... I'm so confused."

Aqua smiled back. "You remember me."

The man helped Aqua up and brushed off her dusty clothing. While they were close, Aqua unzipped the top of his jacket again and grabbed a handful of the old clothes.

"I wish I could get out and see the worlds again," Aqua said to him. "I don't want to be trapped here anymore."

The silvernette's eyes brightened. "I can do that for you."

Aqua hugged him tight. "Thank you, Terra."

"...Xemnas," the man said.

Aqua looked up at him. "Xemnas."

Xemnas snapped and a Dark Corridor opened. He led Aqua into it and they ended up in a world of strange architecture. Seven people stood off in the distance.

"Natives," Xemnas said, and they backed up into the Corridor and into a nighttime world full of average buildings.

They walked into the middle of the road and stared up at the bright moon and breathed in the crisp winter air. Well, as crisp as air can get in California.

A man on a bicycle pedaled up the road, a black dog running alongside him. Seeing them in the road, he pulled over to them and braked. "You shouldn't be standing in the middle of the road," he said, taking a closer look at them. "You don't look like you're from around here."

Aqua nodded. "We're not," she said.

The biker nodded back. "Be really careful," he advised, then drove off, black Labrador in tow.

When he was out of view, Xemnas made a Dark Corridor surround them. They ended up in a chilly Imperial-styled courtyard.

Xemnas sighed. "We're lost, Aqua."

Aqua touched her shoulder. In a flash, she was completely covered in armor. She summoned her Keyblade and transformed it into her Keyblade Rider, then sat down on it. "C'mon, sit," she said, rubbing the seat in front of her.

Xemnas shrugged and sat down on it. They rose up and soared through a portal of light.

A while later, Aqua spotted Castle Oblivion. She rode into the world and touched down, removing her armor and making her Rider a Keyblade again.

Xemnas smiled at her and backed up into a dark corridor.

Aqua stepped into the white castle and ran straight to a rather plain door. She pushed it open.

Ven was sitting slumped on the throne, eyes closed, smiling like he was having good dreams.

Aqua sat down on the arm of the throne and stroked his spiky blonde hair, knowing that it wouldn't wake him. She reconsidered this when the Swift Wind stirred and moaned.

Ven opened his eyes slightly and attempted to sit up, but nearly fell forward. He groaned again and looked at Aqua.

"A..qua," he said.

Aqua felt tears form in the corner of her eyes. She grabbed Ven and hugged him tight. "Ven!"

Ven returned the hug. "How...how long has it been?"

"Nine years," Aqua said. She helped Ven, who was still recovering from his sleep, stand up.

"Where's...Terra?" Ven asked.

Aqua's eyes darkened. "I saw him earlier," she said sadly, "but he didn't remember me. He said his name was Xemnas."

Ven sighed. "Oh." He summoned his Keyblade and took a fighting stance when he saw several Neoshadows rise from the floor. Aqua summoned her own and the fight began.

Eventually, they were all slain.

Ven was breathing heavily. He sunk down onto the throne and closed his eyes. "Aqua...bad...idea," he said between pants. "No more...fighting." His breathing slowed. He was asleep.

Aqua shook her head and left the room, quietly shutting the door behind her. She walked through the plain white halls and was just about sick of it when she came to a window. Nothing but darkness was outside of it, though. She started to walk past it, but a creature abruptly crashed through it and grabbed her. She yelped and tried to fight it off, but it leaped back out the window with her.

There were more out in the darkness. Aqua slashed wildly at them, used Command Styles and Blade Charges, but she couldn't defeat them. She felt a blow on her back and the world went dark.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Xemnas stepped out of the dark corridor and into Castle Oblivion. He looked up at the dark sky and saw a swarm of beasts surrounding a person. He peered closer. It was Aqua! Nothing she did had any effect. A creature struck her in the back and she fell unconscious.

Xemnas leaped up and smacked his blades into several of the beasts- which he identified as Nobodies- killing them. He shot blades off in all directions, effectively clearing the area of the creatures.

He grabbed Aqua, then created a ship beneath his feet and rode it down to the Castle. He lifted the girl up and carried her in, then set her gently on the floor.

He cast a powerful Cure spell, but it had no effect on her. He checked her pulse. Still there.

He shook her shoulders. "Aqua! Wake up! Aqua!" Nothing.

An unusual feeling overcame him. He leaned in close to her ears and whispered, "Aqua. It's me, Terra. Wake up. I'm here, Aqua."

Aqua stirred, but didn't open her eyes. "Terra..." She hugged Xemnas around the neck and drew him close.

The feeling disappeared. "Aqua, you're hugging my head."

Aqua opened her eyes and looked at who she was hugging. As she let go, she said, "But, you said you were him."

Xemnas shook his head. "I don't know why I said that."

Aqua sat up and unzipped Xemnas' jacket, revealing the uniform beneath. "You're still wearing your old clothes!"

Xemnas said, "I don't know why I have these. I've had these since..." He trailed off and stared at the floor, in his eyes an indescribable expression.

"Since when?" Aqua asked.

"Since the beginning," he muttered, still staring at the floor, amber eyes glossy. He blinked and looked at her, the trance gone. "These can't be his."

Aqua sighed. "You look just like him."

Xemnas said, "I'm sorry. I have to go." He snapped open a Dark Corridor and headed off to wherever it would take him.

xxx

Xemnas stepped out into the library. He breathed in the familiar scent of books, then made a beeline for Ansem's computer.

He booted it up, then typed in "Another", then the other passwords. The door slid open and he proceeded down the hall to the Chamber of Repose.

"I'm back, friend," he said as he entered the Chamber, but was surprised to see that the armor and Keyblade was gone. "Oh, no," he groaned, kneeling next to the platform. "Why are you gone?" He sat on the chair next to the platform and buried his face in his hands.

Some pictures passed through his mind. A boy who looked like Roxas. Aqua. An old man. Creatures. And finally a young adult with tannish skin and brown hair.

He opened his eyes. Memories always came to him here, but only images, never sounds or names.

An idea came to him. Aqua may just know where the Chamber of Awakening is! He rushed out the door, locking it shut behind him, and returned to Castle Oblivion via Dark Corridor.

xxx

Aqua sat down on the floor and leaned against the plain white wall. Everything was so...white here.

A Dark Corridor opened in front of her and Xemnas quickly came out and closed it behind himself. He looked at her, a well-feigned expression of relief on his face and said, "Aqua, do you know where the Chamber of Awakening is?"

Aqua stood up near instantly. "Come on." She grabbed the slightly confused silvernette's hand and pulled him down the hall.

She found the plain door again and pushed it open, revealing a sleeping Ventus.

Xemnas made a weird sound halfway between a squeal and a gasp, then ran over to Ven and shook his shoulders. "Ven! Ven! Ven!"

Aqua found this scene both charming and strange. Xemnas may possibly be Terra, so it was cute to see the two reunited, but she still found it weird to see a deep-voice older man shaking a sleeping boy.

Ven opened his eyes and looked drowsily at Xemnas. "Who...are you?"

"I'm," Xemnas began, then shook his head. "I don't even know anymore." He sat down on the arm of the throne and cupped his face in his hands. "I think I'm Xemnas, Nobody of Xehanort, but Aqua thinks I'm Terra. I don't know her, but I know everything about her. Same with you, Ven."

Ven sat up and grabbed Xemnas' arm. "You do look like Terra."

Xemnas touched Ven's hand. "Apparently so." He grasped the younger boy's hand. "Maybe I am him, maybe not."

That made Aqua remember something important. "I've got to go check something out."

xxx

She ran out to the walkway outside the castle and summoned her armor and Rider, the flew off to find it.

Aqua removed her armor and walked among the rows of fallen Keyblades. She was at the Keyblade Graveyard.

She stood at the top of the plateau and saw him, kneeling away from her. She sneaked towards him and leaped, hugging him from behind.

Terra jerked forward suddenly and squirmed around, trying to see Aqua.

Aqua hugged him tight enough that was still comfortable. "Terra! It's been so long!"

Terra stopped squirming. _"Aqua...please...don't do that..." _His voice sounded rough and inhuman.

Aqua let go and allowed the armored man to face her. She was surprised when he embraced her suddenly, his steely grip ungentle. If she could see his face, tears would be running down his face.

_"A..qua..." _he said, voice still strange. _"I've...missed you so...much..."_

Aqua smiled and tried to get comfortable in his iron grip. "I missed you too, Terra." She touched the sides of his helm and he released her. She wanted to see his charming smile, his earthy brown hair, his ocean blue eyes. She couldn't resist any longer and plucked his helmet right off.

No face. There was nothing underneath his helmet.

Aqua gasped. Terra groaned and his armor-maybe his body-creaked in protest as he shifted onto his hands and knees. The armor was completely empty. _"Nothing...no body...Aqua..."_

Aqua put the helmet back in place and allowed herself to cry. Terra didn't have his body. Xehanort did.

The Sentiment reached out and gently stroked her cheek. _"Don't...cry...Aqua..." _She could hear all the loneliness in its voice now. _"Please..."_

Aqua sniffed and held back her tears.

The Lingering Sentiment took her hands and stood up with her. She hugged it so tight she hurt her arms. It rubbed her head. She let go and smiled at its visor.

_"Want to...practice?" _The armor drew its Keyblade and stuck it into the ground, waiting for her response.

Aqua was surprised. She certainly didn't expect a request like that. "Well...of course!" She summoned Rainstorm and her armor and the fight began.

After the fight, Aqua kneeled down, panting like a dog. The Sentiment had so many skills that the old Terra didn't; on top of that, it didn't even seem tired.

She dismissed her armor and stood up. "You're not even tired! Cheater!"

The Sentiment emitted something that sounded like a laugh. _"Sorry...but you did..." _It raised its left hand, which abruptly fell off.

Aqua gasped and rushed over to pick up the pieces. The Sentiment seemed amused. The pieces reconstituted into the Sentiment's hand. "You didn't...need to..." it said.

Aqua pushed it playfully on the chest. "Why didn't you just say that?"

The Sentiment answered, _"You didn't...give me...time..."_

Aqua smiled and laughed. "Oh, yeah. True."

Aqua glanced at the sun. Twilight crept closer every second. She turned to the Sentiment. "I'm sorry, but I have to go."

It nodded. _"I...understand... feel free...to go..."_

She summoned her armor and Rider and sat down on the seat. She was about to leave when it spoke again.

_"It was...nice...to...see you...again...Aqua...thank you."_

Aqua felt a tear roll down her cheek. "You're welcome." She flew away into a portal of light.


	3. Chapter 3

This was written _way _after the first two, so it should be better. Things start to really pick up here, trust me. R&R plz. I disclaim these characters.

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Chapter 3

•~Three Days Forward~•

Saix stood outside the Superior's door, listening for signs of life. Since the moon cycle was close to full, his hearing was incredibly powerful, but he heard nothing.

What could the Superior be doing in there for so long? The others were growing restless without missions assigned to them. No one wanted to have Xigbar bored. If Xigbar got bored, bad things happened.

Saix pricked his pointed ears. Still nothing. He heard footsteps down the hall, the sound of rain down in the city, knives clicking and chopping through something in the kitchen, and just about every other pointless noise in the Castle. But nothing from the Superior's room. Nothing at all.

He couldn't take it anymore. He growled and pushed open the door.

There was no one in the room. The bed was perfectly made, not a wrinkle in the surface.

Saix had never actually been in the Superior's room, so he took a moment to survey his surroundings. Almost nothing was different than the other rooms, except that it was huge and one long curved wall was a panoramic window with a view of Kingdom Hearts.

Saix felt a surge of power from being exposed to the light. His vision's edge tinted red. He blinked and shook the berserker rage from his mind.

There was a suit of armor and an impressive sword mounted in the corner and, surprisingly enough, an interesting black Keyblade displayed on top of a dresser. He was tempted to search it- and gave in. Nothing but robes, but in the top was a box. He opened it. There was a red-brown star charm made of seashells, an old ice cream winner stick, an oddly shaped buckle, and small stack of old photographs.

He picked up the pictures and spread them out. One of a blue-haired girl and a boy like Roxas sitting on a stone wall, smiling and laughing and holding some ice cream. One of the Roxas boy making a silly face. The bluenette laughing and pushing the Roxas boy. Both and a tan brown-haired boy. They were smiling and putting their arms over each other's shoulders. Another just like that, only they were making silly faces, and Lea and Isa were in the background, smiling and laughing. A picture of Lea and the Roxas boy. Isa and the brunette. Isa, making a silly face.

Saix found himself smiling as he put the box and photos back. He remembered that day, taking photos with Lea and the trio. He shook his head. He needed to focus. If he lost focus, he lost control. And if that happened, it was really bad.

His moon-enhanced eyes caught an important detail not noticed before; a single pane in the window was open. He ran over it and gazed out. A long rope hung down to the Dark City and the rain. The Superior was certainly acting strange. Saix grabbed the rope and began the long rappel down the Castle.

xxx

Xemnas looked at every building in the Dark City but saw none. He sulked down the silent roads, the rain soaking him to the bone, but he didn't notice the cold.

There was so much on his mind, so many thoughts that contradicted each other, like they were coming from different people...like an argument. He felt two ways about things, like Aqua. Aqua. It had started when he met Aqua. He wanted nothing more than her safety, her happiness, her radiant aura...but he also wanted to destroy her, beat her, wring her beautiful neck. He didn't want to feel this way. He wanted to feel one way or the other. The conflicting thoughts. He felt like Xehanort again.

He looked around. Good and lost now. Heartless spewed from the shadows, screaming their hunger silently. Rain pounded down, flattening his hair to his head. He kept walking, Shadows gathering around him, dancing about before him, and then he tripped and splashed into the water. He realized his fatigue. He didn't want to move. Maybe he would finally fade into oblivion beneath the talons of darkness.

Xemnas- no, Xehanort- closed his eyes and willed sleep to come.

xxx

Saix sprinted through the Dark City, following the Superior's trail, resisting the urge the get down on all fours. Rain pounded the ground, blasting like gunfire in his ears.

He stopped at a corner and sniffed, trying to discern the Superior's scent from the other ones; rain, minerals, darkness, nothingness, asphalt, metal...Xemnas. He followed the trail at lightning pace. He couldn't remain in the city for too long or he'd lose it in the moonlight.

Shadows burst forth and he kicked them away, but they kept coming. He couldn't take it. He shot off a pulse of raw energy, destroying all of the creatures. Uh-oh. He took off running after the Superior, skidding around corners, nearly howling a few times, and finally found him.

The Superior was laying prone on the ground, eyes shut. He looked horrible, robe and hair plastered to his body, skin paler than ever. Heartless swarmed him, looking for the warm, thumping thing that wasn't there. Saix shooed the darkness away and flipped over his Superior.

"Superior," Saix called. "Superior, wake up."

The Superior opened his eyes slowly, but there was a milky gray color inside of his pupils. He looked up at Saix, but didn't seem to see him.

Saix groaned and shook him. "Superior, snap out of it! Now!" He couldn't remain here much longer. There was a hole in the clouds.

The Superior seemed dazed, eyes rolling back and forth as Saix shook him. Saix was about to give up when he spoke. "Isa..."

Saix was surprised. Only Axel ever called him Isa. "Superior? Are you alright?"

The Superior focused his eyes on him. "Isa...I have to find Aqua...she's my friend...I need to kill her..."

Saix didn't understand. "Xemnas, what do you mean?"

"Isa..." Xemnas looked away. "Isa...I feel funny..."

Couldn't have had better timing. Saix snapped open a Dark Corridor, lifted his Superior up, and quickly walked through the Betwixt and Between to Xemnas' room. He set the silvernette down and took off his robe, then his shirt and boots and pants. He picked him up again and lied him in the bed, pulling the covers over his cold body. He sat at the foot of the bed, suddenly feeling the urge to curl up like a dog on it.

"What happened?" Saix broke the silence.

Xemnas' eyes remained cloudy as he looked past the Castle and into the nigh. "I left to find Aqua- so I could kill her." He paused, and his mood suddenly changed. "No, she's my friend. I won't let you kill her!" Another pause. "Sorry, Isa. My thoughts just came out..."

Saix nodded. "I thought as much. You went to find 'Aqua'..."

Xemnas nodded. "Yes. I didn't want to do this, but...I got myself lost. And you found me."

Saix nodded. "Thanks for telling me." He stood up. "Anything before I go?"

Xemnas' eyes widened and cleared. "Saix, get me the box from the top drawer!" he shouted frantically.

Saix covered his ears. "Not so loud, Superior. Not this close to the full moon!"

Nonetheless, he retrieved the box and gave it to Xemnas, who threw it open and retrieved a photo of the bluenette. He pointed at her. "If _anyone_, and I mean _ANYONE_, sees this girl, they are to report it _IMMEDIATELY_!"

Saix yelped like a struck dog and covered his ears. "Yes sir." A thin whine escaped his nose as he dashed out of the room the begin assembling mission for the Superior.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Aqua noticed the huge castle about a mile away from it.

It was huge, unbelievable, beyond comparison, and it was hovering over an even larger city.

She flew in, deciding that it couldn't do much harm.

The city was dark, deserted and rainy.

Silence screamed out to her, clawing at her conscience so it could seep into her bones. She had to resist it, because legions of Heartless constantly erupted from the shadows. Fighting them off took forever.

She finally managed to reach a plaza that spread out before an enormous skyscraper. A truck was crashed next to it. She looked up at the screens of the building and was shocked to see images of Terra, Ven, Vanitas, Xehanort, and people she knew flash across it. It was showing her memories. Creepy. She ran on, and soon reached the great castle.

Everything was varying shades of white and blue in the castle. She dashed through the many walkways and soon reached one took a serpentine path around the outside of the castle. Here, there was a rope, wound carefully at the bottom and attached to something above.

Aqua tugged it. Seemed solid enough. Why not find out where it goes? She climbed it, straining her arms and finding new possibilities in them. Eventually, she reached the end. Tumbling into the window it dangled from, she saw a frightening suit of armor. She shot up to defend herself and realized it was mounted. The entire room was plain. Shockingly enough, Master Xehanort's Keyblade was displayed on a dresser. In the bed was a peacefully sleeping figure. She approached slowly and saw that it was Xemnas.

She gasped and shook him awake. "Xemnas, it's Aqua."

Xemnas opened his eyes slowly. "Aqua...hello."

"You sound like the Lingering Sentiment," Aqua joked, eying the mounted armor nervously.

Xemnas' eyes looked glossy. "What do you mean? Sentiment?"

Aqua sighed. "Of course. You don't know what happened." She began pulling the covers off of the silvernette, but she was stopped by a cold hand.

"Aqua, I'm only in underwear," he said with a cough. "I don't want you to see me in my underwear." Something seemed different about him. Maybe it was the cloudy dullness of his amber eyes. "I feel so strange..."

Aqua nodded. "Why do you think?"

Xemnas closed his eyes. "I can't explain it, but I feel... light. Like I'll float away." He opened his eyes again and reached out toward the dresser. "Get the box from the top drawer."

Aqua smiled and said, "As you wish, mighty Xemnas" as she retrieved the box and handed it to him.

He opened it and pulled out- shockingly- his seashell charm.

Aqua gasped and almost cried tears of joy. "You still have it!" She frantically searched for hers, and when she found it, she pulled it out and held it up.

Xemnas smiled at her. "You do too..." His smile faded. "But this isn't mine."

Any joy Aqua has previously felt melted like wax from the heat that was that last statement. "But...but...it's yours, Terra."

Xemnas' face suddenly changed, and he dropped the charm into his box. "Who is Terra?" He clasped the box shut and gingerly set it on the floor. "Why do I feel I know him? Who are you? Who is Ven? Who am I?" He covered his face with his hands and brought his knees to his chest. Such a feeble position. "Why do I feel like this?"

Aqua sat next to him. "Stop crying. I don't like seeing someone as strong as the earth cry like that."

"But I can't cry," Xemnas moaned. "I can't feel. Why am I crying now?" Quiet sobs racked his body. "I...feel... funny..."

Aqua didn't want to see Xemnas like this. She couldn't stand it. He looked so pathetic, so unlike himself.

A knock sounded at the door, followed by a worried male voice: "Superior, I'm coming in."

Xemnas didn't even make an effort to hide his newfound emotions; however, Aqua quickly put away the box, forced her friend under the covers, and slid about five feet down the rope before the door clicked open.

xxx

Saix stepped nervously in, searching for the human scent. He had smelled her, heard her, but she wasn't here. The Superior was laying in bed, dull eyes staring sadly into the distance. The covers were more ruffled than before, and reeked of human. He paced around and searched for the scent's source. Of course. The window. He ran over and looked down the rope.

xxx

Aqua bit down on her tongue. A blue haired man leaned out the window, gazing down at her. He looked an awful lot like Isa, but he had an X-shaped scar between his eyes and a furious aura about him. He blinked, a snap of recognition passing through him, and began hauling the rope up to the room. Aqua didn't resist, because it didn't matter.

The man grabbed her by the collar and lifted her up to his face. His yellow eyes glinted with a barely restrained maniacal rage. "Why are you here?" he growled through strangely canine fangs.

"I came to visit Xemnas," Aqua said. She shifted uncomfortably in his strong grip. "Is your name Isa?"

The man's anger briefly subsided, but it came back stronger than ever. "It was. They call me Saix now. I assume that you're called Aqua."

"That's right," Aqua said, matching Saix's clipped tone.

Saix let out an obviously involuntary growl. "I have orders to capture you, so you must come with me _now_." He was gruffly forcing Aqua towards the door when a rough voice called out.

"Saix, let her go," Xemnas ordered.

Saix growled savagely and let her go. He seemed different than before. "Superior, I can't control it anymore...your room...the moonlight..." He snarled like a lion, his eyes glowing gold. "Gotta escape... can't hurt anyone...not again..." He saw the open window and jumped out of it, gripping the rope to slide safely to the ground.

Xemnas flipped over to look at Aqua, his eyes filled with yearning. "Come closer."

Aqua did as told. Kneeling before the silvernette, she asked, "What is it?"

Xemnas looked her in the eye. "There is this place...the beach. I want to go there with you."

Aqua was surprised. The beach?

Xemnas wasn't finished. "I've never been there, but I've always wanted to. I just...have to."

Terra had always said that he wanted to visit the beach. Maybe... "I'd like to go," Aqua said sincerely.

Xemnas smiled a genuine smile. "Thank you, Aqua." He closed his eyes and was soon asleep, his chest rising and falling slowly.

Aqua sat next to him for a few minutes, enjoying the feeling of another presence, occasionally running a hand through his long, silver hair. He looked so much like Terra, but there were many differences.

It might be a good idea to explore this place. Aqua walked into the plain white hallway and set off.

Xigbar wouldn't have believed his eyes less if Master Eraqus had walked out of Xemnas' room.

xxx

He crouched into a marine crawl on the ceiling as Aqua looked both ways down the hall, and then followed her as she walked left. He was careful to make as little noise as possible. Stealth was of the essence. He didn't want to lose his good eye, and Aqua would most certainly blast it out.

Aqua peeked carefully around a corner, then continued down the hall. Like a spider, Xibgar followed, keeping low to the ceiling. She moved with little caution, not much care to look over her shoulder or above her head. It would've been quite amusing to shoot her down where she stood. The castle should stay clean of bugs.

She stood still when she heard something rustle- his robe had shifted oddly. She whirled around, but he had teleported out of view before she could see him. She shrugged and continued in the direction she had been heading before. Xigbar followed silently on the ceiling. Might be good to follow her. She was most certainly a troublemaker.

xxx

Aqua couldn't help but feel like she was being watched. Each corner she turned, each catwalk she crossed- the castle was beautiful, each path surrounded by new things, windows, and the occasional white flowerpot which served no real purpose- but she couldn't get away from the feeling. She felt like it was something quite obvious, just above her head.

_Aha!_

She fell backwards and saw Braig, who looked quite shocked by her resourcefulness, crawling on the ceiling like a Marines spider. He stammered, out of ideas, then teleported to the ground and ran down the hall.

"Wait!" she called out, but he didn't stop. She picked up the pace and ran after him. When he turned a corner and disappeared, she ran even faster and reached a strange place.

The platforms hung apart in empty space. Nothing connected them, and nothing bordered them, leaving anyone who passed through open to a possibly eternal drop into a bottomless purple oblivion. She was at the bottom. Braig sat on the top platform, dangling his booted feet over the edge.

"How did you get up there?" Aqua shouted up, her voice echoing around her.

Braig laughed. "I walked up!" He cocked a large, lavender gun.

Aqua groaned. "Can't I get a straight answer?" She shook her head. "There's no pathways!"

"As if! That's where you've gotta be creative." Braig shot the platform right behind her and she leaped forward, coming dangerously close to the edge.

Aqua shook her head. "This isn't Neverland, Braig."

Braig laughed again. "Aqua, I'm not Braig. Call me Xigbar."

Aqua nodded. "Yeah, whatever. Just tell me how to get there! Spew!"

"Why do you care what's up here?" Xigbar cackled. "I thought you were exploring! Go! Get!"

Aqua groaned and threw a rock, which was oddly enough in her pocket, at Xigbar. It connected, and he fell over backwards, laughing like nitrous oxide. She ran off down the hall and skyways.

* * *

Yeah, a little deeper now. R&R appreciated. Thank you.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

_He finds himself limping through a field of tall grasses, staring up at the sky for constellations. The stars almost seem to move, form things from his wildest fantasies. He searches for the moon, but sees none._

_He is suddenly running through rows and rows of strange dusty swords, which are stuck in the parched earth, hilts up. He is searching for the others, sweat beading his brow, eyes watering in the desert wind. He can't seem to find them, but he has to. They need him. He needs them._

_Another place, with - and - again. He is holding a bar of cold ice cream, trying to eat it before it melts all over his fingers. - elbows him, and he elbows - back. They all laugh. Good times._

_The grassy field again, all alone. He looks down at his aged hands, and they seem to change before his eyes. He feels different. They look different. He runs a hand through his shorter hair and smiles, then laughs. He feels so much better. He runs through the field, diving under the grasses, popping back up again, getting his clothes all dirty. Life is good._

xxx

Xemnas awoke, looking out at Kingdom Hearts. Aqua had left while he was asleep, apparently. He touched his hair and ran his hand along it, feeling the familiar length and smoothness.

The hollow feeling in his guts hadn't gone away. He felt the need to grab the mattress to anchor himself down. He wanted someone to sit next to him, make him feel secure. But Saix was gone. So was Aqua.

He sighed deeply. He was going to the beach with Aqua. That thought filled him with substance, gave him a safe feeling. He didn't feel like laying around anymore.

Xemnas stood up and stretched his tense muscles the same way he had for nine years. He pulled on his clothes, which were piled in the corner, and shook out a fresh robe for himself. He opened the top drawer, grabbed the Paopu charm from his Memory Box, and pocketed it. He snapped open a dark corridor after closing the Memory Box and headed into it.

Roxas' expression was quite amusing when he saw Xemnas come in. "Superior, is something wrong?"

Xemnas sighed. "No. I just wanted to..." How could he explain this to the younger Nobody? "...visit, is all."

Roxas raised an eyebrow. "Uh...okay."

Xemnas sat down on the bed and fingered at the charm in his pocket. "About those others...the traitors...do you care that they're gone?"

"That was weeks ago," Roxas said. "Why would you ask?"

Xemnas shook his head. "I just wanted to know...if you had felt anything."

"Uh..." A lot was going on in the Key of Destiny's mind. It all clicked into place, apparently. "Nobodies don't feel anything."

"Oh." Xemnas rubbed the charm gently with his forefinger and thumb.

"Ventus?"

Xemnas felt a cold pang go through his gut. "What?"

"You said Ventus," Roxas said, "out of nowhere. You were just like 'Ventus'."

"I said that?" Xemnas felt confused. He gripped the charm in his hand. Seeing Roxas' unnerved expression, he clarified. "Sorry. I haven't been feeling myself lately. I'm probably distracting you." He stood up to leave.

"Terra." It was Roxas.

Xemnas spun around. "Yes?"

Roxas seemed surprised. "Err, Xemnas. You can stay if you like. I could use a little company while I do this." He indicated the desk in the corner, which had some paperwork on it.

"Thank you." Xemnas sat back down on the bed. "You called me Terra..."

"I know," Roxas said as he sat down at the desk.

Xemnas sighed and stroked the charm gently. The last time he had carried it was eight years ago. He listened to the sound of Roxas' pounding pencil as he wrote each word with thought and care. The pattern was so familiar. It was almost like...

"Can I see what you're writing?" Xemnas asked.

"Of course," Roxas said.

Xemnas stood up and leaned over the blonde Nobody's shoulder. His handwriting WAS familiar. Fluent, smooth, and slightly scratchy. Roxas continued writing about the progress in heart collection. Xemnas found himself leaning on the thirteenth member, watching how his hand moved as he wrote.

"Superior?"

Xemnas blinked. "Huh?"

Roxas repeated himself, "Superior, are you okay?"

"Uh, maybe." He got off of Roxas' shoulder. "It's just your handwriting."

Roxas looked embarrassed. "Sorry. It's so messy."

Xemnas shook his head. "No, no. It's not messy. It just looks familiar." He sat back down on the bed. "I kind of like it."

Roxas blushed. "Thanks, Superior."

"Call me Xemnas."

"Xemnas." Roxas went back to his work.

Xemnas flopped down onto his back and stared at the ceiling. He pulled out the charm and held it up to his chest with one hand. He felt peaceful.

Xigbar sat up and shook out his long hair. He pulled out the tie and allowed it to spill over his shoulder and face.

"What an adventure," he said to himself. Aqua? At the Castle? It'd been nine years since he last saw her, and now- she doesn't look a week over seventeen. He certainly hadn't expected her to do that falling backwards stunt on him, and then chasing him to the Passage of Creation and Ruin. And the rock? Classic. Unoriginal but effective.

He swung his legs over the edge of the platform as he thought of all these things. "Never would have thought," he said, then dropped feet-first into the tunnel.

xxx

Aqua stared out the swirling window at the heart-shaped moon. The room was silent, and she didn't like it. She ran out the portal and into the graveyard room that she had accessed it from.

There was a man there. He stood with his back to her, hands braced on his pronounced hips. He shook his fiery hair out and turned to face her.

"Lea?" Aqua asked.

Lea smiled. "Yo, Aqua. I'm not Lea anymore. I'm Axel. Got it memorized?" He tapped his forehead as he said that.

Aqua smiled. "Been a long time, hasn't it?"

Axel nodded. "C'mon, gimme a hug."

Aqua laughed and hugged the redhead. Axel hugged her back.

"What happened while I was gone?" she asked.

Axel seemed serious suddenly. "Everyone in this castle, except for you of course, is a Nobody. We all lost our hearts."

Aqua sighed. "That explains the names. But why the Xs?"

Axel shrugged. "No clue, but the boss man's really nutso about it." He let go of Aqua when she did the same.

"What's wrong with Saix?" she asked. "He kinda jumped out a window when I saw him."

"Oh, yeah," Axel said. "About Saix. It isn't such a good idea to go near him. He's kind of a...lunatic. Literally." He shrugged. "The moonlight makes him go nuts."

"That explains a lot," Aqua said. "Would it be much trouble if you showed me around?"

Axel laughed. "Of course not! C'mon." He walked down towards the lower end of the room. Aqua smiled and followed him.

* * *

__

Sorry about that allusion to Far Lands in the very beginning. I was starting to write that around the time I was writing this. R&R appreciated. Thank you.


	6. Chapter 6

__

Chapter 6

_Again he is fighting a red-eyed monster, but this one stands on two legs and swings its arms to a haphazard rhythm to control the instruments around it. He hacks wildly at it, finding that cutting through the weak points is quite exhilarating. He lands gracefully as the beast screams silently and fades into oblivion._

He is glaring down at a raven-haired boy, who is on his hands and knees. 'Please forgive me,' the boy begs. 'No!' he yells, kicking the boy harshly. 'Your punishment for losing to her shall be severe!' 'I'm sorry,' the boy sobs. 'I'm sorry! Don't hurt me!' He laughs. 'Don't hurt you?' he cackles. 'I'm going to do much worse than hurt you!'

xxx

Roxas was okay with letting a friend stay in his room, but it was downright awkward when he discovered that Xemnas had fallen asleep on his bed.

He had just finished his paperwork. He stood up and said, "Xemnas, my work is done." There was no reply.

Xemnas was laying on his bed, eyes closed, one hand curled into a fist on his chest. He looked quite peaceful.

Roxas gently shook him. "Xemnas..." No use. The Superior was asleep. His fist was grabbing something. Roxas gingerly unfurled the fingers and found...a charm made of reddish seashells? He held it up to the light. It was made with care and attention to detail. It looked familiar...

_...Make sure you bring it back to me..._

He blinked the image out of his mind and removed one of his gloves so he could feel the charm with his hands. A little rough, but not enough to be uncomfortable. He stroked it gently, then jumped a little when Xemnas screamed and struck out with a Blade. Roxas dodged narrowly. "Xemnas!"

Xemnas was panting and glancing around the room, searching for some apparition that had escaped his mind.

"Xemnas! It was a dream!" Roxas put a hand on Xemnas' shoulder. "You're okay! You're okay."

Xemnas looked at him, the light of terror in his eyes. "It's not okay! He's inside me! I can feel him!" He cupped his face in his hands. "Give me my body back!" He looked angry. "No! It's mine now!" His eyes shone differently. Were they- blue? "It was never yours!" His eyes were amber again, and he made the most pathetic expression. "Help me, Roxas. Help me!"

Roxas forced Xemnas down onto the bed, arms pinned so that the bottoms faced up. "Xemnas! Calm down!"

Xemnas did seem calmer, but there was a strange quality to it. "Who's Xemnas?" the Nobody asked. "There is no Xemnas. There was only ever me."

"Then who are you?" Roxas asked. May as well go with it.

Xemnas smiled sardonically. "Me? I'm Xehanort." He forced Roxas off and sat up. His eyes changed as did his mood. "Roxas. Keep me down no matter what! Don't listen to Xehanort!" His mood changed again, his eyes yellow. "I don't want to feel like this." He rushed past Roxas and dove out the door.

"Come back!" Roxas ran after Xemnas.

xxx

Xigbar skidded to a halt on the pathway below, using his powers to cushion his landing. He shook his hair and pulled it into a ponytail.

The sound of pounding footsteps reached his ears and he saw Xemnas rushing down the hall, looking much like Terra had when they had first fought. He rushed past Xigbar, panting. Roxas followed close behind, calling out to Xemnas. Xigbar shrugged and chased after the other two.

Xemnas tripped over himself, but it seemed more like he had did it on purpose. Roxas grabbed his arms and pulled them behind his back, knee pressing between the bigger man's shoulders. Xigbar slid in next to them and leaned over to Xemnas' ear. "It looks like you're in a pickle, big boy."

Xemnas growled him. "Fool. It's you're own fault that you lost an eye. Get him off so I can take the other one!"

Xigbar laughed. "Sorry, Master, but I have a bottle of chloroform and I've always wanted to test it." He pulled out a rag and the poured some chloroform onto it.

Xemnas seemed relieved. "Thank you, Xigbar. Knock me out."

Xigbar shrugged and put the rag over Xemnas' mouth and nose. At first, the Nobody kicked and tried to fight it, but soon his movements slowed and he stopped moving altogether. Xigbar tossed the cloth over the walkway.

Roxas let go of Xemnas. "Thanks, Xigbar. I don't think I could've managed him myself."

"Anytime, kiddo." Xigbar waved his hand carelessly and lifted Xemnas over his shoulder. "We've got a long way to go."

"Or," Roxas said as he opened a dark corridor, "we could use this. C'mon." He led Xigbar through. They ended up right outside Xemnas' room. "Go on." Roxas went back into the corridor and it closed behind him.

Xigbar forced open the door and laid Xemnas on the ruffled bed. The man hadn't gained a single pound.

What had he meant about losing his eye? Was he really Master Xehanort? Or was he Terra? Who knows? The Master's Keyblade _was_ mounted on his dresser, but that could mean anything. He did have a giant suit of armor and a huge sword. The guy could be a collector, or something of that nature.

He sat at the foot of the bed and laughed. "You know what? I love chloroform. What? You don't? I see why." He laughed some more at his lame joke. The jokes were just to hide the turbulence that was really within his mind.

Who is this Xehanort really?

xxx

Aqua sat down next to Axel and laughed.

Axel handed her the ice cream and took a big bite from his own, smiling while doing so. "So, wut bought you heah?"

Aqua sighed. "Your leader. I was visiting him."

Axel raised an eyebrow. "You were visiting _Xemnas_?

Aqua shrugged. "Long story, but he asked me to take him to the beach." She took a small bite of her ice cream.

Axel looked no less than incredibly shocked to hear that. "The _beach?"_

"Yeah," Aqua said, smiling. "And then he fell asleep." She laughed a little, remembering the moment.

Axel laughed a little, too. "Really?" He licked his ice cream along the side.

"Sure did." Aqua stuck the bar in her mouth, so that the handle and bottom stuck out.

Axel saw this and laughed. He pulled it out. Aqua grabbed it away and stuck it back in.

A dark corridor opened behind Axel and a boy stepped out. He looked exactly like Ven, but he wasn't. The boy saw Aqua and his eyes widened. The corridor closed.

"Uh...hi, Aqua," the boy said. "I'm Roxas."

"Uh...hey, Roxas," Aqua said nervously.

Axel laughed and invited Roxas to sit. The boy did, and Axel asked, "What took you so long?"

Roxas shrugged. "It was the craziest thing. I was in my room, and Xemnas came in."

The other two looked shocked. "Xemnas?" they said in unison.

Roxas nodded. "Yeah, and he asked if he could visit. He asked me about the traitors, if I cared, so I asked why he asked about it. He said that he wanted to know if I had felt anything."

"Weird," Axel said.

"You bet. After that, we were quiet, then he said Ventus."

Aqua's eyes widened. "He said Ventus?"

Roxas nodded. "When I asked him why he said it, he didn't remember saying it. He wasn't feeling himself, so he got up to leave, and, I have no reason why, but when I said he could stay, I called him Terra, and he responded."

Aqua's eyes lit up. "He _is_ Terra!"

Axel looked at her. "His Somebody was Xehanort. I know this because once, when I got into the Radiant Castle, he caught me and threw me out a window."

Roxas raised an eyebrow. "Sure. He stayed while I did some work and he watched me write. He was leaning on me, so I asked what was wrong, and he said he liked my handwriting. I asked him to get off, so he laid down on my bed and fell asleep. He woke up and screamed, and started freaking out about someone inside him, and arguing with himself. He ran away, so I chased him, and I caught him. Xigbar was there too, and Xemnas threatened to take out his eye, so Xigbar used chloroform on him."

"Holy crap," Axel said. "I always thought he was crazy."

Aqua raised an eyebrow. "Arguing with...himself?"

Roxas nodded. "Yeah. He said he wanted his body back. And his eye color kept changing. He called himself Xehanort, then told me to keep him down, not to listen to 'Xehanort'."

"Strange." Axel took a bite of his ice cream. He swallowed it and looked at Aqua. She was staring off into the sunset, ice cream dribbling down her fingers. "Aqua?"

She kept gazing into the distance. "I used to watch the sunset with them." She licked up the last of her ice cream and threw the stick off the tower.

"Hm." Axel stuck the bar in his mouth.

They were silent the rest of the evening. It was quiet, but nice.

xxx

Aqua pulled herself into the window and saw Xigbar sitting on the bed next to a fully-dressed Xemnas.

The Freeshooter smiled at her. "Your little buddy is taking a chloroform nap."

Aqua shook her wind-tossed hair out. "I know. I hear he was freaking out."

Xigbar nodded. "He said it my fault that I lost my eye, then threatened to take the other one."

"Pleasant," Aqua said. "You think he'll be awake by tomorrow?"

"Yeah," Xigbar said as he stood up and went out the door.

Aqua looked around the grey room and saw another door. She walked over and opened it. It was a luxurious bathroom with a large Jacuzzi bathtub. She was tempted. It occurred to her that she hadn't had a real shower in nine years. Wouldn't hurt to have one now.

She stripped out of her clothes and turned on the hot water. She tossed in some bath soaps and settled in the pleasantly warm water for a long bath.

Aqua dried her hair out and wrapped a towel around her body. She opened the bathroom door to let the steam out. Who knew that Xemnas would have so many shampoos and conditioners? She brushed her short hair out in a comb that had some wispy strands of silver hair in it. It amused her to see her blue hair with his silver.

She pulled on her clothes and struggled with her armored shoes. Somehow, she managed to force them on. She tied the strings on her black corset and walked into the main room.

Xemnas was still on the bed, feet tilted outward just like Terra tilted his feet. She sat down at the foot of his bed and stripped off his shoes and socks. His feet were big, but not unusually so, his toes short. Cute feet. She pinched his big toe and wiggled it. Of course, he didn't respond, but it still amused her. She giggled as she played with his other toes and gently tickled his feet.

She gave up on his feet and went up to his head. His gentle features seemed even more peaceful and serene when they were still. Aqua ran her fingers gently down his cheek, then noticed his hair. It was long, pretty, and right there. How could she resist? After a while, he had a nice braid going down the left side of his head.

She smiled and found the box in his cupboard and opened it up. In it was Terra's belt buckle, a winner stick, and a pile of photos. She pulled the photos out and shuffled through them. Two of them had Terra in them. She remembered that day, taking all those photos with Terra's instant camera and goofing off with Lea and Isa at the Radiant Garden.

She put the box back and walked over to the bookshelf. On it was many nameless, dusty books, but three were different. She brushed the dust off the spine of the first book. On it was a year. She opened to the first page. It was a photo album full of photos taken with an instant camera.

The same people appeared in all of the photos: a tall brunette, a strong man with dreadlocks, a blonde, a young bluish-haired boy, Braig, and an older man. Each photo was labeled with handwritten captions. One got Aqua's attention especially. It was Xemnas, smiling broadly and holding the blonde (Even) next to him with one arm. He looked mostly the same, but his hair was white and sharper-looking. The caption below read: "Even didn't expect it when I jumped from the cupboard. Thank Ienzo for the photo".

Another photo caught her interest: Lea and Isa were being held by their shirts by the muscular brunette (Aeleus) outside of the Radiant Castle, backs facing the camera. This caption said: "I caught these two lurking around in the castle". The one right next to it showed Braig looking quite humiliated beneath a bed. The caption: "Braig is the monster beneath Ienzo's bed".

Aqua laughed out loud when she saw the photo of Braig giving the older man (Ansem) a foot massage. The caption below read: "This was blackmail for Braig. He keeps calling me Master Xehanort and Terra. Thank Dilan for the photo". What could Braig have meant?

She put the album back with the other ones and laid down next to Xemnas. She had just put a hand on his chest and closed her eyes when she heard him moan.

xxx

Consciousness seemed to be floating just beyond his reach, like the many stars. He reached out to it from the oblivion, but missed. This final time, he managed to grab hold of it.

His skull pounded with pain. He opened his eyes, but even his dim room seemed bright as the full moon, and everything spun around him. He felt like his limbs were made of lead. He tried to say something, but instead a low moan escaped his lips. The smarting twinge in his chest had gone away.

Distantly, as if through a long tunnel, he heard a female voice: "Xemnas?" Aqua!

He attempted to smile, but it hurt to much. He slowly reached up and clasped his hand around Aqua's. "Is it...tomorrow? Are we...going to the...beach?"

Aqua shook her head. "No. That's tomorrow." She helped him sit up.

Xemnas felt around in his pocket; he was missing the charm! "Aqua, I lost it...your charm..."

As if on cue, Roxas came in via dark corridor. "I forgot to return this." He tossed the charm to Xemnas and left.

Xemnas held up the charm. "I guess not."

Aqua pulled out her own and held it up.

"Can you tell me about it?" the silvernette asked.

Aqua nodded. "I made these for Terra and Ven. We always kept them with us to know that we're never apart as long as we remember each other." Aqua grabbed a book off his shelf and returned. It was his first photo album from Radiant Castle. "Can you tell me about this?"

Xemnas took the album and flipped through all the pages. "I made this during my third years as an apprentice. I took photos of everyone and all the events in the castle. There's only a few of me, though." He flipped to a picture of Aqua's armor. "I took this photo of your armor, because Ansem wanted to put it in storage. It was with me in the beginning."

Aqua nodded. "I gave up my armor to save you."

Xemnas listened to her voice but heard no sound. "The first thing I remember is drifting away from darkness, being held by this armor and hearing a voice call out to me..." His voice trailed off. He wrapped his arms around Aqua and closed his eyes, never wanting this moment to fade. "I can't wait to go to the beach."

Aqua hugged him back. "Neither can I." She yawned.

Xemnas yawned, realizing his fatigue. "All I've been doing today is sleeping." He shed his coat and allowed Aqua to feel his outfit before he covered himself up for bed. "You can sleep wherever, Aqua. Just not with me."

Aqua laughed a little. "I see why." She walked out the door.

Xemnas closed his eyes and willed rest upon himself. Sleep never came easily to him, because with sleep came nightmares of death and fear and pain.

xxx

____

_He is standing in the field of grass again. His entire body aches, each step he takes sends needles of arthritis through his legs. He stops and massages the sore muscles of his back, to no avail. There is no curing his pain. He longs for the young, supple body he once had._

He hears it. Something is stalking him through the luscious prairie. It slithers silently through the grasses, feasting on his scent and waiting for a chance to strike. He draws his weapon and waits for the beast to appear. The bite on his leg teaches him to exercise caution.

It rears its head from the grass and stares into his eyes. He feels the creature's venom take effect and he watches his hands change. He feels none of the previous pains. In fact, he feels lighter, like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders.

The creature strikes.

__xxx

Aqua thought that maybe she would find a room with an empty bed, but after an hour of relentless searching the floor was quite inviting.

She laid down in the grave room and closed her eyes. She was really tired, and wanted rest more than anything.

* * *

Another blasted reference to Far Lands... I promise there won't be any more. R&R appreciated. Thank you.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Xemnas blinked awake. It wasn't time to get up yet, but he didn't want to sleep anymore. The dreams were too bizarre. He wanted to take a walk. He slid down the rope and into the Dark City.

On the air was silence, nothing more, nothing less. Not even the rain greeted him as he walked through the City without a robe. He felt unsafe without the solid, nameless material, but he knew that the worst thing to encounter here was Saix.

Speaking of Saix...

Xemnas heard a shuffling noise in the nearest alleyway. Curious, he walked over and peered around the corner. An inhabitant, or at least what was left of it, rested beneath Saix's clawed fingers. The Diviner looked down at his kill and snarled, not seeming hungry. He caught Xemnas' scent and charged at him, snarling savagely. Xemnas slammed him against a wall with an Aerial Blade, seeing its red energy course through Saix's body. The Diviner's eyes flickered and the rage subsided and grew with each flash. He broke away from the Blade and smacked Xemnas to the ground.

Xemnas moved behind Saix, creating an image, then moved behind the first image, creating a second image. Saix bit into the second image, so Xemnas powered a spinning kick with nothingness to take out Saix's legs, then tackled the unbalanced Nobody into a wall with sickening crunch. He saw Saix's eyes flicker again, but the calm didn't last. The Berserker threw Xemnas off and thrust him into the ground.

Xemnas saw that he had gone down in elevation and squirmed a little beneath Saix's iron grip. His first instinct was to grab the arm and tug it off, but he wasn't running on instinct. He clubbed the Diviner off with a Blade, then nil-kicked him down the alley. He moved behind Saix and kicked him upwards, then moved above him and slammed him with a spinning-slam attack with his Blades. He landed next to Saix and saw the glow of his Berserker state disappear.

Saix was bewildered. "Thank you, Superior."

"You're welcome," Xemnas muttered. He stood up and looked around. "Fighting you is like fighting the petty Unversed."

"Unversed?" Saix asked. Xemnas had said the word before, but he never had an explanation.

Xemnas shook his head. "I meant Heartless." No point in confusing his right-hand man with words even he himself didn't understand. "Speaking of Heartless, the City is quite empty tonight."

"Indeed." Saix rose to stand at his superior's side. "Not a single one appeared to fight me."

As though waiting for this precise moment, a Neoshadow rose from the darkness and leaped at Xemnas. Before he could react, Saix smacked it out of its intended path. The creature snarled and leaped onto the bluenette. The two hit the ground and rolled about in a fight, all teeth and claws and kicking feet. The Neoshadow burst and the Diviner snarled, his eyes tinted golden.

Xemnas kicked Saix harshly, sending the weaker Nobody sprawling. "If you lose control one more time tonight, I will turn you into a Dusk and banish you from the Castle," he threatened sternly.

"Understood, Superior." Saix stood back up, rubbing the area where Xemnas' blow had connected. He finally seemed to notice Xemnas' clothes. "Uh...Why are you wearing those?"

Xemnas nodded. "I know. May I borrow your coat?"

Saix nodded and stripped off his coat, revealing a black outfit beneath. His hair was really a few inches longer than what was on the outside, and a crescent moon pendant dangled from his neck.

Xemnas struggled with the coat; it was too tight around his deep chest and the sleeves were looser than he liked. He finally wrestled the zipper shut and took a moment to practice breathing through his stomach. "How can you wear this?"

"I have a narrow chest," Saix said plainly. He glanced around nervously. "I don't really think being a Dusk is pleasant, so I'll be heading back to my quarters."

Xemnas nodded as Saix snapped open a dark corridor and hustled through. He was alone, and his coat probably couldn't be less comfortable. Oh well. He continued his walk to Memory Skyscraper. Pictures flashed across the screen, pictures of Heartless and humans and the Keyblade and Axel and Xion, who looked like Ven to his eyes.

How he longed to see the worlds again. He wasn't supposed to leave, because of a rule developed by the other five members and himself. They expected him to stay in the World that Never Was, and if he didn't obey, the others had the right to usurp and imprison him for an agreed upon time. He had to sneak away to go anywhere, and when he got lost in the City, they sent out a trusted member to find him.

Going to the beach was risky business.

He attempted to laugh, but the jacket was constricting his chest too much, so he just wheezed a little. He ran to Nothing's Call and panted. Bad idea.

Xigbar was sitting on one of the moving panels. "Trying to escape, Terra?" he joked.

Xemnas growled low. "I don't know who that is."

Xigbar laughed. "As if. You threatened to take my eye, like you did before."

"Xigbar," Xemnas muttered, "I'm sorry about your eye, and I'm sorry about threatening you, but I don't know what you're talking about, so shut up. I still have that photo."

Xigbar sneered, "I know you were trying to get away. I still guard at night."

"If I were trying to leave, wouldn't I take a dark corridor rather than climb down the rope?" Xemnas retorted. "I'm not going to let you chain me in the dungeon." He stood up and held up his hands. "I haven't left."

Xigbar narrowed his eyes, then dropped the facade and laughed. "I believe ya. Saix hasn't left either."

Xemnas shook his head. "Never speak of this."

Xigbar teleported over next to him. "You look like you're in pain. C'mon, back to bed, spiky silver." He swept Xemnas off his feet and teleported into his room, then set him on his bed.

"Was that necessary?" Xemnas asked as Xigbar wound up the long rope and threw it over his shoulder.

"No," the Freeshooter answered, "but you shouldn't strain yourself after a chloroform nap."

Xemnas raised an eyebrow. "Chloroform- oh." He shed Saix's tight coat and snuggled up under the covers.

Xigbar was about to leave when- "Xigbar. Could you stay with me? I couldn't sleep."

Xigbar smiled. "Okay, spiky-white." He sat down on the bed next to Xemnas.

After about thirty minutes, Xemnas finally fell asleep. Xigbar quickly teleported to the Hall of Empty Melodies to mess around.

* * *

Yeah, short chapter. Don't get used to it. Chapter 8 is long... Needed an explanation for why Xemnas never leaves the Castle, so I made one. R&R appreciated. Thank you.


	8. Chapter 8

JSYK (Just so you know), a nil clone is one of those frustrating things Xemnas used in the final fight with him. JSYK.

* * *

Chapter Eight

Aqua awoke and sprang to her feet. Today was the day.

She raced down the hall towards Xemnas' room and burst through the door. The Nobody was still sleeping, cute feet splayed and slanted. She got up onto it and bounced.

He was soon awake. He rolled over to look at Aqua and smiled. "It's today!" she said.

His eyes lit up. He rolled out of bed and stretched like Terra always had, touching his toes with both hands and bending backwards to pop his spine. He shook out his hair. "There's something important you need to know," he said.

Aqua bounced into a sitting position on his bed. "What is it?"

"I'm not allowed to leave the world," he admitted, "so if they catch me, I lose my position as Superior for however long they want. We have to be careful."

Aqua sighed. "This complicates things." She stood up and looked over his clothes. "First of all, these will be too obvious." She ripped off his shirt, revealing his muscular midsection.

He squeaked. "What should I wear then?"

Aqua pulled open his wardrobe and searched for other clothes. She found a grey shirt and pulled it on him. "There."

Xemnas looked down at himself. "Well...whatever. I'll give the 'where is he' problem a temporary solution." Suddenly, he was in two places at once, except that in one place, he was robed. The robed Xemnas looked at her blankly, then looked at the other Xemnas.

"Nil clone," the real Xemnas said. "It'll solve that problem, but someone might be able to tell the difference between me and him."

"I can," Aqua said. The clone had an entirely different aura, or rather lack of aura.

Xemnas sighed. "That's right. It has no being. But at least it'll stall them." He moved his fingers into a snapping pose, then caught himself. "We shouldn't go by corridor. Every corridor made here is known of. We should go by light."

Aqua nodded and concentrated. Before them appeared a swirling portal of light. She grabbed Xemnas' arm and they walked in.

Xemnas seemed dazed by the brightness inside. He shielded his eyes and gripped a tight hold of Aqua's arm as they walked through. "Aqua, I can't see. It's too bright..."

It ended soon, though, and they found themselves standing at the edge of a seaside village. A few sunbathers walked, roller-skated, or jogged casually along the wide stretch of sandy beach.

Xemnas looked amazed. He let go of Aqua and scanned the area. He smiled and turned back to Aqua, too ecstatic to really speak.

She smiled and laughed. "You look like a two-year-old," she said. "We need to get bathing suits."

She led him to one of the store and walked in. There were a variety of swimsuits lining the walls, as well as hats, shirts, and cover-ups. She made a beeline to a pair of grey swim trunks and held it up to him.

"These would look cute on you!" she exclaimed with girlish excitement.

Xemnas looked unsure. "I don't know, Aqua..."

She laughed and poked his stomach. "Go try it on!" She pushed him into a changing room and slammed the door. She was browsing throughout the women's section when she heard the door open.

Xemnas looked great in the swimsuit. He blushed. "Well..."

Aqua squealed; she couldn't help herself. "You look so cute!" She wanted to rush over and hug him. "Change back and I'll buy it."

Xemnas smiled and went back into the changing room. Aqua checked her munny. Plenty for the day. She saw a particularly nice bikini; it was blue with multicolored flower designs on it. She grabbed it as Xemnas walked over.

"That looks nice," he said. "You should try it."

Aqua rushed to the changing room and quickly switched her clothes. Xemnas was right- she did look great. She changed back and ran to the clerk, who was reading an issue of Reader's Digest. He quickly rang up both swimsuits. Aqua paid, bagged it herself and walked out. She didn't notice the person outside the door until the snap-flash of a camera went off.

Aqua blinked. "What the-"

Xemnas grinned over his new instant camera. He grabbed the printed photo and shook it out, speeding up the development.

"How did you get that?" she asked.

"I bought it," he said, looking at the photo. "I've been saving up for something special." He pocketed the picture.

"If you're not allowed to leave," Aqua asked, "why would you be saving up?"

"Because occasionally Xigbar takes me on a trip," Xemnas said.

Aqua shrugged. "C'mon, let's get moving."

xxx

Saix knocked the Superior's door. "It's Saix."

"Come in!"

Saix pushed it open and stepped in. The Superior was standing at the window, gazing up at his ambition. He had his hand on the window longingly.

Saix bowed respectfully. "Superior, if you want to see Kingdom Hearts, just go up to the Altar."

The silvernette turned to look at him. "Indeed." He faced the moon again.

Saix went over to the window near him. "You traumatized Roxas yesterday."

The Superior sighed. "I know. Give him a day off for compensation." He pressed his face to the window.

Saix shook his head. "Superior, please, keep your dignity and go to the Altar."

The Superior looked straight into Saix's eyes. "Are you ordering me or giving a suggestion?"

Saix gulped down bile. "Suggesting, sire. Forgive me."

"Apology accepted, Saix," the sovereign said coolly, then snapped open a dark corridor. "Come."

Saix nodded, understanding his reasons, and escorted his Superior to the Altar of Naught through the corridor.

"Leave me, Diviner," the Superior ordered, lifting his arms to Kingdom Hearts.

Saix nodded and, after glancing wistfully up at Kingdom Hearts, left.

xxx

Aqua sat on the wall that stood between the beach and the town, and Xemnas joined her. A cool ocean breeze drifted past them, tossing Xemnas' silver hair back dramatically. Aqua watched it for a while, then let her eyes wander to the spikes of hair behind his ears and on the top of his head. She imagined his entire hair in earthy brown.

Her stomach growled right at that moment. She hadn't eaten in a day.

Xemnas looked over at her. "Um, you're hungry."

Aqua blushed. "Yeah. I'm starving. Let's go to that restaurant." She stood up and ran over there, Xemnas in tow. They found a table outside and sat with menus.

Aqua flipped through hers and selected a cheeseburger and fries meal. "What are you getting?" she asked Xemnas.

He was staring at the table and running his finger along a crack, menu ignored.

"What's wrong?" Aqua asked.

"I don't eat," Xemnas sighed. "Nobodies don't get hungry, so I don't eat."

"Then why do you have a kitchen?"

"Because some of the others eat for nostalgia, to awaken memories associated with certain flavors."

Aqua smiled sadly and shrugged. "I'll order for you."

The waiter came, and Aqua ordered while Xemnas sat in pensive silence. After that, Aqua had to ask him something. "Why are you so quiet right now?"

"I'm checking on my clone," he explained.

Aqua nodded. "Is it working?"

Xemnas nodded.

Aqua smiled and said, "Tell him I said hi."

Xemnas closed his eyes for a second then made a small grin. "He says, 'I want you to know that I don't talk to strangers.'"

Aqua slapped Xemnas quite hard. "Ask him if he felt that."

Xemnas shouted and grabbed his face. "Him and I agree that Xehanort felt that!"

Aqua laughed and patted his head. "Sorry, Xehanort."

"Sorry makes it all better." Xemnas rubbed his cheek vigorously. "It stopped stinging, at least." He leaned his elbow on the table and unconsciously allowed a thumb to slip into his mouth, just like Terra used to.

Aqua smiled and giggled at his utterly blank yet cute expression as he seemed to stare through everything. "Earth to Xemmy, Earth to Xemmy."

Xemnas blinked. "Huh?" He blinked again and looked up at her. "What's this Xemmy thing? That's new."

Aqua shrugged. "You were zoning out again, and your thumb was in your mouth." She stopped there.

Xemnas muttered, "I always do it. Xigbar teases me about it, just like he teases me about everything."

"Like all your habits?" Aqua assumed.

Xemnas nodded.

"Out of curiosity," Aqua began, "what are your habits?"

Xemnas shrugged. "Well, I stretch in the morning, I do that thumb thing, I chew my lip, I pace, I do this-" he had been making dramatic gestures as he spoke, and now he did a grasping thing with his fingers- "and sometimes I wear some armor on my left arm, just for the hell of it."

Aqua nodded and mulled this over. Terra had always chewed his lip, stretched, that thumb thing, but the pacing, melodrama and dramatic grabby-hands were from Master Xehanort.

"You called me Master," Xemnas said.

Aqua blinked. "Uh...wha?"

Xemnas looked at the table. "You called me Master Xehanort. Xigbar calls me Master Xehanort sometimes."

"That makes sense," Aqua mumbled to herself. "Braig knew Master."

"What makes sense?" Xemnas asked, then sighed. "Oh. You're not going to answer me, are you."

Aqua shrugged. "You wouldn't get it."

They sat in silence until the waiter arrived with both meals. Xemnas' was spiced chicken and brown rice and a few side dishes. He looked at it nervously then sniffed it. Aqua laughed when she saw his mouth watering.

"Take a bite," she giggled.

Xemnas picked up his fork and stabbed the chicken. He stuck it in his mouth, and the love was instantly visible. He attacked the chicken like a starved dog. It was soon gone.

Aqua was laughing quite hard.

Xemnas' expression was adorable. "Aqua, I can't believe I haven't had this in so long," he marveled. "I'd forgotten how good it is. How I have missed out over the years!"

Throughout his little monologue, his eyes almost looked blue, but they were yellow when he finished, then blue when he scarfed down the rice.

Aqua realized she hadn't eaten anything yet. She devoured the cheeseburger and licked her fingers of excess juice.

The flash of the camera went off; Aqua looked up angrily as Xemnas shook out the photo. She flicked him in the nose. He grabbed it and pocketed the photo. She looked at his plate: cleared.

"Xemmy, you're such a pig," she groaned, then smiled and laughed.

Xemnas shrugged. "I haven't eaten in four years." He ran a tan hand through his silver hair.

"You know who's preferred meal that was?" Aqua asked, grinning deviously.

"Who's?" Xemnas looked up at her.

Aqua said, "Terra's."

Xemnas blinked. "...you ordered for Terra, for me."

Aqua nodded and crossed her arms smugly. Xemnas snapped a photo of her pose. They both laughed, but Xemnas' faded quicker. The waiter came and left the check. Aqua paid, and they both ran down to the beach.

They stopped at the cold water. Xemnas stepped in and wriggled his bare toes. The water was so clear they could se their own feet. Aqua laughed and pushed Xemnas gently, the splashed through the water. He smiled and gave chase with a harrumph.

Some of the beach-goers glanced over their books or away from their sandcastles at them, but they were mostly ignored. A child laughed and gave chase as well. He soon tired, though. Aqua and Xemnas were much stronger, having the bodies of heroes.

Aqua came to a stop near a path leading up to some changing rooms. Xemnas skidded up next to her, sand stuck to his wet feet and pant cuffs. He was shaking out a photo, panting and sweating. She pulled the camera off his neck and snapped a photo of him like that. He laughed, and they both crowded into a third photo.

Xemnas put the camera in the bag, then took his trunks and headed into the men's room. Aqua went into the women's and changed. She ran out and waited for Xemnas.

He came out and shook his hair. She tackled-hugged him, hanging on to him with her legs and arms. He was able to hold up against her weight. He smiled and said, "Off, please. I'm not carrying you."

"Alright." Aqua jumped down and patted his strong shoulder. "Whatever you say."

He shrugged as they walked down to the beach. People ran past, playful children and surfers alike. They walked out into the water and went until it reached about their waists.

Aqua smiled. "You like?"

"Yeah." Xemnas looked down at her and smiled a true Terra smile.

Aqua giggled and playfully swiped some water at him. He was unprepared, so he got splashed. He smirked and smacked a small wave at her. She went down onto her back, laughing, and kicked a torrent at him. She looked up; he wasn't there!

She stood up and searched around for him. Suddenly, he popped up and splashed her. She screamed and spun around. When he let his guard down, she splashed him, and got him this time. "I win," she bragged.

Xemnas smiled, then did something she hadn't heard before. He laughed. "I suppose that's true."

A surfer swam past them and for the first time they noticed the tall waves. When a particularly large on came past, Aqua was hit full force and blown off her feet. Briefly, under the water, she saw steadfast Xemnas grabbing her hand and pulling her against the wave. The wall of water passed, and the undertow kicked in, and Aqua was pulled by it into Xemnas' embrace.

Xemnas blushed, as did Aqua. The back of his long hair was plastered to his neck, but somehow the defiant bangs and spikes still stood tall. He looked away from her eyes when she tried to meet them. "...this is awkward," he muttered.

Aqua forced some quiet laughter and simpered. "Yeah." She pushed away from him. "Let's go back to shore."

They walked back, occasionally getting slammed by a wave. They chose an empty spot near the water and sat down. Some people glanced at them, assuming they were boyfriend and girlfriend. Xemnas was quiet again, most likely thinking or checking on the clone. He looked uncomfortable in his wet shirt. Aqua tugged it off of him. He turned to face her and raised an eyebrow. She laughed and fluffed his hair.

A child no older than five came over at one point and began building a sand mound at their feet. He was so absorbed in it that he unintentionally buried Xemnas' feet. Xemnas didn't react, just wiggled his feet a little. Aqua laughed at his reaction. The child persisted, and soon Xemnas was buried to his knees.

A young lady, apparently the child's mother, came over and lifted the boy up. "Sorry if he was bothering you," she said.

"Not at all," Aqua assured her with a wave of her hand. "He's a good artist."

The mother nodded. "I know. He's always building sandcastles, but he never built one on someone." She looked at Xemnas.

He shrugged. "I don't mind." He looked at the mound.

"But there's no one there," the boy whined.

The mom and Aqua raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about, Samuel? There's a man right there."

"There isn't!" Samuel squirmed out of his mother's arms and pointed at Xemnas. "There's no one there!"

"Samuel!" The mother picked her son up. "I'm sorry. I'll deal with him." She stormed off.

"That was odd," Aqua murmured.

"Not really." Xemnas freed his feet. "Apparently, some people can't see Nobodies."

"Why not?" Aqua asked.

"There's nothing there to see." Xemnas began shaping the sand pile with his wet hands.

"Oh." Aqua joined him in the shaping. She wondered what this would look like to someone who couldn't see Nobodies. Xemnas didn't seem to mind. Of course he didn't. He was a Nobody.

The mound soon began to resemble a castle. Xemnas grabbed a seagull feather off the ground and began drawing details into the sides. Aqua stuck some seashells in. They were acting like kids, but Xemnas didn't really know and Aqua didn't care. When he finished, Xemnas stuck the feather on top of the castle. Aqua admired their work. "I like it."

Xemnas nodded. "Same, but I wonder if it will survive high tide." He scooped out a little moat around it with his hand, then dug it deeper, and deeper.

A gull flew down and landed next to Aqua. "I have a new pet," she said as it waddled up to her and squawked.

"Indeed." Xemnas scooted over next to her and reached out to the bird. It didn't react until he touched it. Then it cawed loud and flapped its wings excitedly. He withdrew his hand, and it calmed down. "Oops."

Aqua picked it up. "It doesn't like you," she smirked.

Xemnas waved a hand over its eye. It didn't react. "Only if I touch it."

The gull smelled some food and flew off. Aqua noticed scratches on her hand from its feet. They began bleeding slightly. She touched it, but her hands were covered in sand and salt water, so she quickly withdrew it. Xemnas reached forward and touched the wounds. She gasped because it stung badly, but he stopped her from pulling back with another steady hand. Small ivy energy patterns swirled out from his fingertips and her hand was healed.

Aqua said, "Thanks."

"Don't mention it." Xemnas dug the moat wider and deeper still. He seemed too intently focused, his eyes hard and giving nothing away. He was thinking.

xxx

The Sentiment stood sentinel on the cliff overlooking the battlefield, searching for nothing in particular. It replayed the scenes of four days before in its mind, each moment of Aqua's visit over in the blurry, monochrome shapes it saw everything in.

When Xehanort had taken Terra's body and the Sentiment had been born, its memories had been slowly disappearing. It had forgotten almost everything of its past, forgotten who it was, lost all emotions except for a deep-rooted boiling rage created by a man named Xehanort, for some reason long lost. All that mattered was revenge.

But when it saw Aqua again, many pleasant feelings broke the self-imposed misery and gave it a sense of self again. She made it feel like Terra.

But something was off. Aqua had seemed so sad, so not herself, like she was hiding some dark secret. There had been something about her scent- and the scents intermingled with it. One in particular caught the Sentiment's attention. So dark, so familiar...Xehanort! But not quite...something slightly different.

Something happened that happened often. It forgot that last thought.

Aqua had been with Xehanort! Why would she do that? Xehanort was the enemy. Was Aqua working with him? Or had the Sentiment's fragmented mind made Aqua up? Had it really been fighting Xehanort, instead of Aqua?

_"Xeha..nort..." _Its furious rancor returned and it crushed away part of the cliff by pressing on the Gaia Bane. _"You...will pay..."_

_xxx_

Sunsets at beaches were undeniably beautiful.

Most beach-goers had left by the time the sun cast red over the crystalline waters. Slow waves caressed the shores at high tide and slipped over the sitting forms of Aqua and Xemnas.

They had had a great time that day, swimming and chasing and denying claims of love. The castle hadn't survived, and they had watched as it collapsed to mush. Now, they sat side by side in the gentle waves.

"I've enjoyed this day," Xemnas said as a wave rolled in.

"Me too," Aqua agreed. "It's a beautiful sunset."

"Yes."

"I used to watch the sunsets with Ventus and Terra, in the Land of Departure."

"It's been so long since I've seen a sunset," Xemnas muttered dolefully. "It's always night in my world. I was beginning to forget what they looked like."

They were quiet for a while.

Xemnas sighed. "I envy you."

"Why?" Aqua asked.

"You have a heart," he said quietly, "you have emotion. You have misery and sorrow, anger and hate."

"And hearts have love," Aqua whispered.

"I don't want to exist without feeling anymore," Xemnas said. "I want a heart. Hearts are power." He set his face in an expression of true determination, an expression Terra once used. "I will get all of us Nobodies hearts."

Aqua grabbed his shoulder. "I wish I could give you that." She leaned against him. "Are you sure you don't have a heart?"

Xemnas grabbed one of her hands and placed it on his chest. Nothing pushed beneath the surface, nothing warmed him. "I am sure."

Aqua held her hand there and they listened to the waves sweep the shore. It was a soothing sound, a sound of caring. She wanted to show this nothing that she cared. She raised her face to his cheek and gently pressed her lips against him. He loosened up a little and leaned against her. They both closed their eyes.

When Aqua pulled away, she saw a young man sitting there next to her, an expression of pure peace on his face, blue eyes glittering as he looked at her. She leaned close to him again and that second kiss felt just like Terra.

xxx

Xemnas stepped out of the light corridor and saw his clone honoring Kingdom Hearts. Wordlessly, he cast it into oblivion with his mind. He stepped back into the corridor and went to his room with Aqua.

When Aqua had kissed him, he had felt some old feeling awaken inside him and fill him with warmth. The warmth still lasted, even as he put his robe back on and sat down at the open windowpane. Aqua sat next to him. "I have to thank you," he said.

"You're welcome." Aqua leaned against him.

Xemnas sighed. "I don't know who I am anymore. Since I've met you, I've felt different... confused. I feel two ways about you. Can you tell me who I am?"

"I don't know if I can," Aqua said. "Terra was possessed by Master Xehanort. I don't know who you are."

Xemnas stared up at Kingdom Hearts, his creation, his path to true life, his path to power. "A long time ago, my master once told me that he would find a way to help me get my memories back." He paused and thought about that, how all the other apprentices promised to help him, especially Braig. "You can sleep in my bed tonight. I'll go somewhere else."

"That's nice, but I might not come back tonight." Aqua stood up and created her Keyblade Rider outside the window. She stepped on and summoned her armor.

Xemnas sighed as she flew out of the world. She was hiding something. He stood up and began searching for somewhere to sleep.

_"Leaving again, Xemnas?"_

* * *

Oooo, cliffhanger. It's all speeding up now :3 R&R appreciated. Thank you.


	9. Chapter 9

Last real chapter :c R&R appreciated. Thank you.

* * *

Chapter 9

The Sentiment watched from above as Aqua touched down and dismissed her armor and Rider. She paced around, calling Terra's name. The armor didn't move, though. It was still unsure of Aqua.

A dark scent entered its senses. Xehanort! The source of this scent was Aqua. Suddenly, her form shimmered to look like a silver-haired young man.

Xehanort. The Sentiment thought so.

xxx

"Terra, come out here!" Aqua called through the rock field. The Sentiment was always here...why wasn't it coming out?

She heard the sound of rock being broken and spun towards the source. The Sentiment was standing about twenty feet away from her, oversized Keyblade stuck in the ground, hands folded on top of the guard.

"There you are," Aqua said cheerfully. "I was beginning to worry."

Deep enraged rumbles rose from the armor. _"Why would you...worry about...me... Xehanort?"_

"Xehanort?" Aqua raised an eyebrow. "What are you..." Of course. She had been with Xemnas for a long time. His scent must have rubbed off on her. "Terra, I'm not Xehanort."

_"You can't...fool me..." _The Sentiment pulled Gaia Bane from the ground and charged forward.

Aqua narrowly dodged with a cartwheel and abraded the heel of her hand on the stone. She summoned Rainstorm as it charged again and blocked a massive blow that would certainly have killed her. It released the pressure and swung at her legs. She leaped onto the Keyblade and used the upward force to launch herself over the armor and land near the rock monolith.

The Sentiment split Gaia Bane into two Keyblades and charged. She dodged and it drove its weapons into the rock. It dislodged them and swung. The hits were so hard they stunned Aqua and sent her flying, then skidding. She struggled to her feet with Rainstorm and fired off a Thunder spell. The bolts struck, but they didn't have much effect.

The Sentiment transformed Gaia Bane into a bow and fired projectiles at her. She narrowly dodged all of them as she skidded towards the armor, then struck it hard. She chipped off some paint and rust and dented its arm. It reverted the bow to Gaia Bane and slashed again, but she slipped beneath it and hit a leg, leaving similar damage to the previous arm. It got her with a powerful kick to the gut and smacked her away with the Keyblade.

Aqua hit the ground with a bone-crunching thud and felt blood dribble down into her eye. The Sentiment was above her before she could even blink. She rolled to avoid a downward-thrust blade, then another, then another, then another. She flipped onto her back and shot a point-black Fira. A smoke cloud surrounded them and she took that opening to escape. She coughed. A few ribs were broken, she was halt-blind from the blood in her eyes-it didn't look so good for her.

But the Sentiment didn't have it much better. As Aqua was healing herself, it stumbled out. Its helmet was broken, one of the horns bent badly and the other blown completely off. Its left arm was torn open.

It saw her and transformer Gaia Bane in a whip. It snapped the stony tip at her. She yelped and leaped back from the rock shrapnel. The Sentiment spun the whip in a small arc overhead and cracked it again. One of Aqua's feet slipped on a loose pebble. The Sentiment's third whiplash found its way around her ankle and pulled tight. She screamed as she was thrown into the air and snapped effortlessly around. The Sentiment slammed her to the ground and she saw stars. She stood up and ran away as it transformed the whip into a drill.

Aqua dodged narrowly as the Sentiment charged forward. The drill ground the stone like butter as spat debris everywhere. Sharpened stones cut her bare legs. She took a wild swing at the Sentiment. It connected. The armor flinched and released the drill, which reverted to Gaia Bane. Aqua kicked the weapon away. "Please, Terra. Stop."

_"NO MERCY!" _The Sentiment seized her leg and dug its sharp fingers into her flesh. She screamed and slapped its helmet. That didn't do much accept for aggravate the pain in her leg.

"STOP!" Aqua shot a Flare at the armor.

The backfire was extreme, scorching her arm to the elbow and blasting her quite some distance. She bounced once and the slid to a stop. The agony was horrible; her skin was a mess of bruises, cuts, and blisters. Many of her bones were broken. It was all she could do to breathe in and out, and watch the smoke clear.

xxx

Just after Aqua left, Xemnas heard a chiding voice.

"Leaving again, Xemnas?"

Xemnas turned around. Xigbar, his face creased by a scowl, stood behind him. "Don't try to act stupid," he growled. "I know about your little escapade."

Xemnas raised his hands. "You caught me. But how?"

"I can tell the difference between a clone and you." Xigbar gruffly grabbed Xemnas' hands and tugged them behind his back. "You're coming with me." He opened a dark corridor and led Xemnas through to the Soundless Prison.

"Now, I've let a lot of these little trips go," the Freeshooter said, forcing Xemnas forward, "but I can't just let THIS slide."

"I haven't seen her in so long, though," Xemnas protested.

"You've never seen her," Xigbar growled as he pushed Xemnas into a prison. "She's a stranger."

Xemnas went to the bars. "Then explain this. She's a Keyblade Master, she's most skilled in magic, she's a close friend of mine, and I hope to kill her someday."

"Then you know who you are," Xigbar muttered.

Xemnas grabbed the bars. "Tell me who I am, Braig!"

Xigbar looked away. "You'll have to find that out for yourself."

Xemnas felt a twinge in his gut; something was wrong with Aqua. He could feel it. "I need to get out of here."

"No." Xigbar's face was stone.

"Aqua's in trouble," Xemnas tried again. "I don't know why, but it's bad trouble. I have to help her." He shook the bars. "Please!"

"I can't!" Xigbar shouted!

Xemnas growled and gripped the bars tighter. Red energy coursed from his palms and made the material boil and begin to melt. Crimson energy pulsed out in the form of lightning. _"If you do not let me go, NOW, you will suffer a fate more horrible than any fate imaginable! Do it now, Braig!"_

Xigbar cringed and opened the gate. Xemnas rushed out and through a dark corridor to Aqua.

xxx

Aqua drew another gasping breath as the smoke cleared.

The Sentiment was a mess. Its armor was twisted and bent, crushed and snapped, melting and completely dislodged. It rose to its feet, joints screaming and groaning under the pressure. It stood unevenly, one foot bent beyond repair. It jerked its head to the left as its left arm fell off. _"Xeha...nort..."_

Aqua gasped in another painful breath.

The Sentiment stumbled and fell, then did an extraordinary feat. Its foot snapped into place. Its visor reformed. All the dents and twists in its armor repaired themselves, but nothing reattached, like last time. It summoned Gaia Bane and ran forward. It was about to slam its weapon down when two red blades stopped it.

Xemnas!

xxx

Xemnas had been truly anguished when he saw Aqua, and a hideous rage filled him when he stopped the armor from landing the final blow.

He stared at the living armor's visor and a searing pain washed through his skull. Images, sounds, and sensations filled his mind. And he knew.

Master Xehanort had taken control of Terra's body and created a new being, and fought the discarded armor of the latter. Then, his memories fading, the being had gone to Radiant Garden and met Aqua, and tried to strangle her. They had fought, and Aqua had won. Terra had taken control of the being and sealed himself and Xehanort away, losing his memories in the process. Aqua had saved him from the realm of darkness by sacrificing herself.

He understood who he was now. He was truly Terra at heart.

Xemnas felt many things pass through his armor's mind. _"Who are...you?" _it asked.

"I am you and your enemy as well," Xemnas told it. "Kill me if you want, just don't harm Aqua anymore." He dispersed his weapons and put his hands on the armor's torn shoulders. The sharp metal dug into his flesh, but the pain was minor.

_"I don't...understand..." _The armor shifted and suddenly cracked Gaia Bane on Xemnas' side. A rib snapped and Xemnas skidded across the plateau. The armor was soon upon him again. He summoned something in his hand and slammed it into the armor's chest, puncturing the metal with an earsplitting shriek. The armor staggered against the weight of the familiar weapon. Xemnas blindly slashed again, then again, and again, beating his living steel senseless and broken. He balled a fist and, powered by nothingness, smashed its visor. He swung the weapon again and brought the armor to the ground.

It groaned. _"I couldn't...why..." _It fell silent.

Xemnas sighed and ran to Aqua, who's breathing became increasingly shallow. He cast his most powerful Cure spell. She gasped and groaned as ribs snapped into place and bones corrected themselves. Her arm healed, the burns and blisters gone. The hideous patches of bare, bloody flesh on her back healed. She sat up and looked into his eyes. "Thank you. For saving me."

"Don't mention it," Xemnas shrugged. He turned away from her.

Aqua placed a hand on his shoulders. "You know why now?"

Xemnas nodded. "Yes. You were right." He touched his chest. "I've been missing out on life."

"You were using Master Xehanort's Keyblade," she remarked solemnly.

Xemnas blinked and looked at his weapon. It was true. "I think I know why."

"Why?" Aqua asked.

"I realize now," Xemnas whispered, "I realize now that I don't want a heart. I don't want to help the others get hearts, either. All I want is to live truly, with you and Ven. You're my best friends." He sighed and removed his gloves for effect. "I can't really live in this body."

"I don't care how you look," Aqua said. "You're still the Terra I remember."

Xemnas pushed her attempted comfort away. "You don't understand! I look just like Xehanort. I don't want to. How can you treat me the same when I'm like this?" He stood up.

Aqua stood with him. "Why would I?" She turned him and he saw that her eyes were filled with both pity and hope. "Now, I see you as you, Terra."

"If you can, then help me see it." Xemnas put his big hands on Aqua's shoulders and looked into her abyssal blue eyes. "I want you to know something."

"What?" Aqua asked.

"I love you, Aqua," he whispered, smiling sadly.

Aqua didn't need words to explain. They embraced. Every message was sent with that, every sadness, every happiness, every tender moment of goodbye. When they let go, Xemnas wanted to cry.

"You have to go back to the realm of darkness," he said. "You can't remain here. When it's time, I'll come for you."

Aqua nodded, unable to speak for fear of crying.

Xemnas opened a dark corridor. "Let's go."


	10. Epilogue

•~Epilogue~•

_Neither of them spoke as Xemnas returned Aqua to the dark realm. When he left, she sobbed noisily and without control until she slept. She never forgot Xemnas, and waited patiently for his return. _

_Xigbar forgave Xemnas when he returned to the castle, but Xemnas had nothing to say as he shut himself away. With salty tears, he once again sealed his memories of the past, and of Aqua's visit, away._

_A year later, Sora killed Xemnas. He never fulfilled his dream of true life, nor his promise to Aqua._

_And still Aqua waits, but not for Terra. Now, she sheds tears of hope in wait of Sora, who can save them both._


End file.
